The present invention relates to a process for preparing monoallylamine, and more particularly to a process for preparing monoallylamine which is useful as a modifier for polymers, an intermediate of medicine or agricultural chemicals, and the like.
With respect to preparation of monoallylamine, as a general preparation method, there have been known (a) a method wherein an allyl halide is reacted with ammonia which is described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,216,548 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,175,009 and (b) a method wherein an allyl alcohol is reacted with ammonia which is described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Tokkyo Kokai) No. 63-2958 and No. 1-153660.
According to the method (a), however, since a hydrogen halide is produced with the formation of allylamine, the produced allylamine is obtained in the state of a hydrohalogenide of amine. Accordingly, in order to obtain free amine, a recovering step of amine wherein the salt is neutralized with an alkali is required, that is, the preparation operation is complex.
On the other hand, according to the method (b), water is produced as a by-product with the formation of allylamine. Accordingly, the neutralization step required in the method (a) is not necessary. As a catalyst in the method (b), however, a platinum complex is used in the preparation method described in Tokkyo Kokai No. 63-2958 or a palladium complex is used in the preparation method described in Tokkyo Kokai No. 1-153660, whereby the improvement of conversion is attained. Since such an expensive noble metal catalyst is used in homogeneous reaction system, troublesome operation steps for recovering the catalyst are required.
An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned defects, that is, to provide a process for preparing selectively monoallylamine without a complex reaction process.
This and the other objects of the present invention will become apparent from the description hereinafter.